Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Venice alone! What would you do?

Hi I went to Venice for the first time last fall and at the last minute found I was making that part of my trip alone. The only disappointing thing about being there alone fpr four days was not being able to turn to a friend every five minutes,with a goofy happy expression on my face and exclaim about how much I loved everything I was seeing. For me the invaluable map was an easily foldable pocket size laminated one called Streetwise Venice. It covers 90% of Venice in accurate, legible and complete detail. Your bookstore can order it from Streetwise maps, POB 2219, Amagansett NY 516 267 8617. Don't confuse it with a similar looking map called Artwise Venice. I disagree with the comment that you can't get lost in Venice. You can get lost every five minutes because the street "plan" is literally a maze. You rarely walk in a straight line for more than a few yards. However, you won't get seriously or dangerously lost. Just to keep things interestingly, some street signs are printed in Venetian dialect which won't look exactly like the street names on your map, and some street names are repeated in more than one neighborhood. My other invaluable guide was a Fodor's publication called something like "Walking Tours of Venice" but it seems to be very difficult to find. It was perfect because not only did it guide me step by step through the various neighborhoods but it also gave historical and cultural detail, even on individual art works. If you can't find it, the Fodor's guide and the Eyewitness guide to Venice and the Veneto are both good. If you arrive in Venice by air or train, there are vaporettos (boats that serve as Venice's buses) that will take you close to wherever you are staying. Your hotel will advise you as to the closest vaporetto stop. You may have to walk a few or many "blocks" to arrive at your hotel unless it is next to the canal, so plan your luggage management accordingly. Venice is divided into sestiere, or sections, and each seems to have its own attractions. San Marco is of course the hub, but San Marco is the section of town, the name of the basilica, and the name of the unforgettable piazza. San Marco seems to be tourist central in terms of designer boutiques, jewelery and glass shops, sightseeing the basilica, the campanile (bell tower), the Doge's palace, etc) and many cafes and restaurants, many (but not all) of which are not worth their prices. The Canareggio section is a little farther afield,but is more of a real Venetian neighborhood and has more moderately-priced shops and caters less to tourists. It also leads you to the Ghetto, the world's first, where Jews were forced to live for centuries. Whatever your religious affiliation, the Ghetto offers some fascinating historical perspectives, and that's one place where you'll want to consult a good guidebook. If you walk from San Marco to the Rialto bridge and on to Canareggio and the Ghetto, you will cover a good part of Venice and walk from one fascinating and beautiful site to another. Centuries-old buildings like the Ca d'Oro line the route. I took one of my days and spent it seeing the outer lagoon islands of Torcello and Murano. Murano is noted for glass-making. Most travelers also think highly of picturesque Burano but I didn't get there. Torcello is considered dull by some because it is sparsely populated and kind of wild and deserted-looking. It has only a couple of cafes (one is quite fine and beautiful and is run by the Cipriani hotel/restaurant family) and no shopping. However it has a church that dates from the 7th century, with exceptionally beautiful mosaics and for me Torcello was an unforgettable experience. The Accademia museum is "easy" as Italian museums go. It is not very large and the highlights can be seen in a couple of hours. Much of Venice's art treasures are housed in the Doge's Palace and various churches. I was especially taken by the Titian painting over the altar in the Frari church. Other churches of note, just a very few of many, are the Salute, the Zanipolo (also called Giovanni e Paolo), and the San Giorgio Maggiore across a narrow strip of water from San Marco. The latter offers a fine bird's eye view of Venice. Ca' Rezonnico is a former private palace now turned into a historical museum, and quite worth seeing. As for a general approach,if you can't find the Fodor's walking tour book, then I would pick a destination for the morning or afternoon, like the Peggy Guggenheim Collection or the Salute Church or the Ghetto. Find it on your map, and set out. You will be fascinated by what you see along the way. You will walk into campos (little squares) and notice a small church that you may decide to look at. You will pass a cafe and decide to take a break. You will get turned around and find yourself in narrow alleyways, surrounded on both sides with four or five story buildings, each with flower-filled window boxes. You'll pass a shop and decide to go in. You may get to your planned destination that day, or save it for later, but you will have not wasted your time. Fodor's poster Joe L has an excellent website that explains the Venetian street "plan". You can go to www.initaly.com/regions/veneto/ovensty. htm. If you have any other questions you can email me. good luck